Take a peek behind the scenes at the self-proclaimed "Bastion of Fundamentalism" and "Fortress of Faith," Bob Jones University. A Bob Jones University graduate takes a close look at the Joneses, Bob Jones University, and the national network of Bob Jones-styled fundamentalist churches and ministries staffed by Bob Jones University graduates and influenced by the pragmatic philosophies and principles taught and practiced by BJU.
Jonesianism, a term perhaps first coined in BJU Exposed, is simply modern-day Phariseeism. Jonesianism is essentially a combination of psuedo-religious legalism with endless man-made rules given Ten Commandment-status, religious hypocrisy, extreme sectarianism, religious pride, and pervasive intellectual, ecclesiastic, ethical corruption and dishonesty all ruled over by a few men who embodied the worst qualities of the original Pharisees and whose teachings and actions cannot be questioned.

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May 09, 2007

Bob Vallier, BJU's and the FBFI's and Northside's Financial Guru: Come Quick, The Peasants Want to See the Church Financial Records!

Quotes of the Day:

“An urgent business meeting for Northside Baptist Church was held October 10, 1990 with Chairman of the Deacon Board, Mr. Bill Lamb presiding. Mr. Lamb mentioned that he had received many phone calls questioning if Pastor John Stevens was resigning from Northside Baptist Church. Mr. Lamb and Pastor Stevens had received several letters concerning the financial status of Northside Baptist Church and the possible misappropriation of funds…Pastor wrote his resignation prior to several of the above mentioned letters. Mr. Lamb stated that the deacon board asked Pastor Stevens to withdraw his resignation. Pastor withdrew his resignation. (standing applause by the congregation)…”…”Pastor stated that Mr. Vallier was a C.P.A., a Bob Jones University graduate and came by a “love offering”… Rose Mary Taylor, Northside Baptist Church Clerk, Minutes from Stevens' damage control meeting.

“To be quite blunt, many organizations I encounter [profess a belief in the fundamentals] to maintain peer status, but lie, cheat, steal, carry on corrupt business practices, slander, commit fraud, and practice bitterness and hatred. But as long as they [believe the fundamentals], they are accepted by their peers. It would be hard to imagine a more hypocritical stance.” Wally Metts, Faith Brokers, commenting on his experience at David Gibbs' CLA, Christian Legal Association.

Who is Robert F. Vallier, (aka, Bob Vallier) and why would Pastor Stevens suddenly call him in to “review” his church books?

By the time I first read Pastor Stevens’ statement that “Mr. Vallier was a C.P.A., a Bob Jones graduate and came by a ‘love offering,’” I knew Stevens well enough to know that he was probably lying. I made a call to the South Carolina Board of Accountancy and asked them if they had a Robert Vallier listed as a C.P.A. or Church Business Services on their records. My father then penned a letter to Mr. Shelley, Special Investigator with the SCBA and had them review the documents Robert Vallier submitted on behalf of Pastor Stevens as a “review” of Northside Baptist’s records.

With the questions about “misappropriation of funds” being asked, Mr. Stevens obviously felt he needed to regain some credibility, and fast. Robert Vallier, is a Bob Jones University graduate. He was also a regular contributor to Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International’s (FBFI) magazine, Frontline. Apparently, Robert Vallier had impressed the fundamentalist community as being a “team player.” Touting Robert Vallier as a “C.P.A.” brought to Pastor Stevens the kind of credibility he needed to quell the controversy.

Here is what Robert Shelley, Special Investigator with the SCBA has to say about Robert F. Vallier and the “review” he did at Northside Baptist:

Thank you for your letter of January 14, 1991. The above named individual is not licensed under the South Carolina Accountancy Law, nor is his business registered with us. Based upon a review of his brochure and “Independent Auditor’s Suggestions,” [to Northside Baptist Church] we believe him to be in violation of the South Carolina Accountancy Law, Section 40-1-50.

We will be contacting Mr. Vallier in reference to this matter and we are also notifying the Florida Board of Accountancy of the same.

Again, thank you for the information. If you have any questions or desire additional information, please advise.

Sincerely,

Robert S. Shelley
Special Investigator
South Carolina Board of Accountancy

This information was communicated to Dr. Bob Jones III and to the members of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International. In fact, it was reported on in the local newspaper, the Post and Courier. What effect did this have on Robert Vallier’s credibility within this sect of fundamentalism? One gets the idea that the churches and pastors associated with Bob Jones University and with the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship NEED a guy like Robert Vallier. Apparently, Mr. Vallier was either too valuable to the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship members, or maybe he knew “where too many skeletons are buried.”

Incidentally, if I am not mistaken, Robert Vallier, the man who presented himself to Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International churches across America as an "independent auditor," did a “review” of the books at Northside Baptist the year before. It seems unlikely that somone who regularly provided such a service to pastors would be very "independent." I certainly never heard of an instance in which he discovered and reported a pastor's financial mismanagement to the congregation. And, knowing how the "good ol' boy" system works within the fundamentalist preacher fraternity, I doubt he would have gotten much more business for "Church Business Services" if he had.

Robert F. Vallier was not an obscure personality within the Bob Jones University orbit. Robert F. Vallier was included as a Keynote Speaker at Bob Jones University’s HELP Conference in June, 1994. I suspect that Robert Vallier rarely, if ever, gave a bad report of the financial management of one of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship churches he “reviewed”.

Of course, knowing how Pastor Stevens and fundamentalist preachers operate, I checked to see if Bob Vallier truly “came by a love offering.” I have before me the “Check Request” form and, in the “Requested by” block it indicates “Tom and Dr. Beach.” (Mr. Tom McGann and Dr. Cecil Beach, a Bob Jones University graduate, seeDr. Cecil Beach) The check was made out to “Central Missionary Clearing House,” which makes me wonder if Robert Vallier was avoiding income taxes by having the funds run through a non-profit “Missionary” account." The check was not approved by the deacons as required and it was signed by two women who were not supposed to be signators.

South Carolina law requires that those who operate a business or provide a service that REQUIRES a license but do not have a license at the time, return the money they received for those services. I wrote a letter to Robert Vallier dated February 12, 1991, and informed him of the South Carolina Accountancy Law, Section 40-1-50, “Recovery back of money paid to unlicensed person required by law to have occupation or business license or permit to make contract.” I asked him to return his ill-gotten gains to Northside Baptist Church. He never responded. I understand that Robert Vallier continued presenting himself as an “independent auditor” across the country at Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International churches. It appears to me that Robert Vallier and the pastors of these churches had quite a "thing" going.

So, another Bob Jones University graduate played a key role in “doing church” at Northside Baptist Church. This is the way a typical independent, fundamental, Bob Jones University-approved, Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International-pastored Baptist church is run. This is the way a man, John Stevens, who received Dr. Bob Jones III’s personal recommendation “does church.” This is the way Dr. Bob Jones III and Bob Jones University’s graduates “do church.”

It certainly is strange that this group of fundamentalists never collectively distanced themselves from their colleague, Pastor John Stevens. And, Bob Vallier didn’t seem to suffer any ill-effects from his apparently fraudulent “ministry.” In fact, a "Bob Vallier" is listed as a co-board member of JehovaJh-ireh Ministries which purports to provide "Financial Assistance in World-Wide Church Planting." Bob Vallier is on the board and Dr. Bob Jones III is an "Honorary Board Member." So, Dr. Bob Jones III is still associating with Bob Vallier after Vallier was accused of violating South Carolina Accountancy Law.

Two days before a confirmed appointment to inspect Northside Baptist's financial records, my wife and I ended up being “excommunicated” by Pastor Stevens and the Bob Jones University graduates at Northside Baptist Church. (Of course, they gave us a one-time "three-minute" opportunity to defend ourselves. Fundamentalists want to appear to be "fair" and "just.") Bob Vallier took his $1,500 (plus, the church picked up his hotel and meal tab, I understand) and we received the highest censure available to the church! This is what happens when a church member presses a Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International pastor to produce his financial records. This is an example of what happens in churches run by Bob Jones University graduates. This is what happens in Dr. Bob Jones III's home church and he maintains "fellowship," read that, a mutually beneficial business relationship, with John Stevens and Bob Vallier.

And, it is certainly strange that this group of fundamentalists within the Bob Jones University family and the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International-orbit, think that they are the final authorities in determining what God’s Word says about Christian faith and practice.

Fundamentalists call themselves “Christians” and hold themselves out as such, but the Greatest Christian to walk the face of the earth said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16: 10, 11)

Comments

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hahaahahaha---glory to GOD! You and your wife got some real clarity in THAT situation! i hope you all got far far FAR from the fundies after that. financial misappropriation is only one tip to the iceberg--and the ship is the USS BOB.
remember what charles underwood quoted from the sourcebooks on freemasonry? didja ever consider that these good ole boys might EVERY ONE be high level masons? it would certainly explain a whole lot of behavior!